Ipomoea plant named ‘Fnpalblk’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Ipomoea  plant named ‘Fnpalblk’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit and short internodes, dense and bushy growth habit; and dark purple-colored palmate-shaped leaves.

Botanical designation: Ipomoea batatas.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FNPALBLK’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ipomoeaplant, botanically known as Ipomoea batatas, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Fnpalblk’.

The new Ipomoea plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Lompoc, Calif. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new compact and freely branching Ipomoeacultivars with attractive foliage shape and coloration.

The new Ipomoea plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor during the autumn of 2007 of Ipomoea batatas ‘Sweet CarolineBronze’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,437, as the female, orseed, parent with Ipomoea batatas ‘Sweet Caroline Purple’, disclosed inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,912, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newIpomoea was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Lompoc, Calif. in March, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Ipomoea plant by terminal cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Lompoc, Calif. since April, 2008,has shown that the unique features of this new Ipomoea plant are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Ipomoea have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Fnpalblk’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Fnpalblk’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofIpomoea:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit and short internodes, dense and bushy        growth habit.    -   3. Dark purple-colored palmate-shaped leaves.

Plants of the new Ipomoea can be compared to plants of the femaleparent, ‘Sweet Caroline Bronze’. Plants of the new Ipomoea differ fromplants of ‘Sweet Caroline Bronze’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ipomoea are more freely branching than        plants of ‘Sweet Caroline Bronze’.    -   2. Plants of the new Ipomoea are bushier and denser than plants        of ‘Sweet Caroline Bronze’.    -   3. Plants of the new Ipomoea have dark purple-colored leaves        whereas plants of ‘Sweet Caroline Bronze’ have purple bronze to        bronze-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Ipomoea can be compared to plants of the male parent,‘Sweet Caroline Purple’. Plants of the new Ipomoea differ from plants of‘Sweet Caroline Purple’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ipomoea are more freely branching than        plants of ‘Sweet Caroline Purple’.    -   2. Plants of the new Ipomoea are bushier and denser than plants        of ‘Sweet Caroline Purple’.

Plants of the new Ipomoea can be compared to plants of the Ipomoeabatatas ‘Blackie’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conductedin Lompoc, Calif., plants of the new Ipomoea differed from plants of‘Blackie’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ipomoea were more compact than plants of        ‘Blackie’.    -   2. Plants of the new Ipomoea were more freely branching than        plants of ‘Blackie’.    -   3. Plants of the new Ipomoea were bushier and denser than plants        of ‘Blackie’.

Plants of the new Ipomoea can also be compared to plants of the Ipomoeabatatas ‘Sweet Caroline Red’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,483.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lompoc, Calif., plants of thenew Ipomoea differed from plants of ‘Sweet Caroline Red’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ipomoea were more freely branching than        plants of ‘Sweet Caroline Red’.    -   2. Plants of the new Ipomoea were bushier and denser than plants        of ‘Sweet Caroline Red’.    -   3. Plants of the new Ipomoea had dark purple-colored leaves        whereas plants of ‘Sweet Caroline Red’ had red-colored leaves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Ipomoea plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Ipomoea plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of typical plants of ‘Fnpalblk’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up view oftypical leaves of ‘Fnpalblk’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Lompoc, Calif. in apolyethylene-covered greenhouse during the summer and under conditionswhich closely approximate commercial Ipomoea production. During theproduction of the plants, average day temperatures were 22° C. andaverage night temperatures were 17° C. Plants were grown in 15-cmcontainers and were six weeks old when the photographs and descriptionwere taken. In the detailed description, color references are made toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Ipomoea batatas ‘Fnpalblk’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Ipomoea batatas ‘Sweet Caroline            Bronze’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,437.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Ipomoea batatas ‘Sweet Caroline            Purple’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,912.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at            temperatures of 24° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six days at            temperatures of 18° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About twelve            days at temperatures of 24° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 18 days            at temperatures of 18° C.        -   Root description.—Thick, fleshy; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.        -   Tuber description.—Tuber development has not been observed            on plants of the new Ipomoea.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit.—Compact, upright and mounding plant habit;            freely branching habit and short internodes, dense and bushy            habit; pinching is typically not required; vigorous growth            habit and rapid growth rate.        -   Plant height.—About 22 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 38 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Quantity per plant.—About eleven lateral branches develop            per plant.        -   Length.—About 12 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1.3 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Texture.—Sparsely pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 187B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 14.3 cm.        -   Width.—About 14.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Palmate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Auriculate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N186A;            venation, close to N186C. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to N187A; venation, close to N186C.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 9 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 187A.-   Flower description: Flower development has not been observed on    plants of the new Ipomoea.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Ipomoea have been observed    to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Ipomoea have not been    observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Ipomoea.

1. A new and distinct Ipomoea plant named ‘Fnpalblk’ as illustrated anddescribed.